{"id":2582,"date":"2008-10-22T19:28:58","date_gmt":"2008-10-22T19:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=2582"},"modified":"2010-12-22T12:21:01","modified_gmt":"2010-12-22T17:21:01","slug":"6655","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/10\/22\/6655\/","title":{"rendered":"Peterson Revisits Scene of Congo Nightmare"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Stan Friedman<\/p>\n

CHICAGO, IL (October 22, 2008) \u2013 Curt Peterson recently returned for the first time to Congo where during an earlier visit he spent the most harrowing day and night of his life.
\n
\n\u201cI didn\u2019t know what to expect,\u201d says the executive minister of the Department of World Mission. \u201cI was prepared to have those traumatic feelings of anxiety, so I was surprised at how calm and peaceful that I felt throughout.\u201d<\/p>\n

In March 2007, he and Covenant missionary Dr. Roger Thorpe traveled to Congo and participated in a successful nationwide pastors\u2019 conference that attracted 800 people. More than 6,500 people attended the opening worship service. Thorpe, a physician, also visited local hospitals.<\/p>\n

Before returning home, they spent several days at a guesthouse in Kinshasa. The men set out for the airport on the morning of March 22 \u2013 exactly 19 months ago today. However, armed skirmishes had broken out between government forces and those of opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, who claimed fraud in the election for president that Joseph Kabila subsequently won.<\/p>\n

The violence prevented the men\u2019s driver from taking them to the airport. Eventually Peterson and Thorpe found their way to a local police station where they thought they would be safe. However, fighters overtook the station and at least one government soldier died saving the lives of the two men. Peterson and Thorpe escaped the next morning and sought shelter in the same guesthouse in Kinshasa. For a fuller accounting of the events, see Caught in the Crossfire<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring those months that followed I would revisit the images of that day and have anxious feelings,\u201d Peterson says. Returning to Congo was important for him in order to continue his own healing process.<\/p>\n

Peterson already had made great strides in that process. At the Covenant Annual Meeting this past June, he was even able to forgive the people who had threatened and nearly killed him.<\/p>\n

Peterson figured he would be able to emotionally handle traveling through Congo, but Kinshasa might be a different story. During his return, he drove by the police station following the route that he and Roger took as they escaped to the guesthouse, where he again stayed.<\/p>\n

Peterson was amazed to find that some of the same people who also had sought shelter there in March 2007 were again guests with him. Other lodgers had heard what happened from colleagues who had been at the guesthouse that day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was \u2018what are we doing back here again?\u2019 \u201d Peterson says with amazement. \u201cWe\u2019re in the same dining room with people who are committed to the people of Congo, and mission, and development.\u201d<\/p>\n

All of them had the same sense that \u201cBecause you experience a difficulty, that doesn\u2019t mean you close the door to the place where it happens,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt back to normal in being there,\u201d Peterson says, but normal is not what it once was. That includes his understanding of the Bible\u2019s promise of peace in the midst of suffering.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have the images in my mind of circumstances and being in the midst of it \u2013 the Bible on the table, the poster on the board, and the experience of God\u2019s leading and protection through the night,\u201d Peterson says. \u201cIt\u2019s much more than an understanding of scripture and theology of suffering, but a direct experience of God\u2019s working in our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peterson says that what happened to him in March 2007 was an experience of suffering that barely compares to that of others in the African nation. That experience, however, strengthened his commitment to the people of Congo, one of the poorest nations in the world. The northwest section of the country \u2013 where the CEUM is located \u2013 is where the poorest of the poor live.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur brothers and sisters in Congo suffer a great deal,\u201d Peterson says. \u201cThey lose children to diseases like malaria and pneumonia, and anemia and bronchial conditions that are treatable. How do they deal with that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Peterson also has a deeper sense of responsibility to extend God\u2019s grace. \u201cAs we experience it, we also have an opportunity to be part of God\u2019s work in other people\u2019s lives as they experience difficulties,\u201d he says. \u201cSo as we receive peace, we can be peacemakers; as we receive forgiveness, we can be part of God\u2019s work in reconciliation with others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peterson emphasizes, \u201cOur desire to be there again is to say we have not forgotten, we will not forget, and we will stand beside you no matter how difficult it is to get things done. We are brothers and sisters united in Christ, and we are part of one body.\u201d<\/p>\n

During his recent trip, Peterson preached at several locations and shared his experience of God\u2019s faithfulness. \u201cIn each of my messages, I talked about how in the storms of our lives, Jesus is with us in the boat, he\u2019s with us in the turmoil, even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he is with us,\u201d Peterson says. \u201cWhether it is in living or in death, there is an eternal peace that is present in our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Loko, a city official who normally does not attend a CEUM church heard Peterson speak. He was so moved that he returned to his community and broadcast on the radio a summary of the message.<\/p>\n

Peterson says he was as inspired as much by the Congolese as much as he encouraged them. \u201cI\u2019ve often been so impressed with the sense of faith and confidence in Christ in the midst of their struggles in Congo,\u201d Peterson says. \u201cThey say, \u2018We have nothing but Jesus, and that makes all the difference.\u2019 That has seemed more and more real.\u201d<\/p>\n

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CHICAGO, IL (October 22, 2008) \u2013 Curt Peterson recently returned for the first time to Congo where during an earlier visit he spent the most harrowing day and night of his life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nPeterson Revisits Scene of Congo Nightmare - Covenant Newswire Archives<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/10\/22\/6655\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Peterson Revisits Scene of Congo Nightmare - 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